THE ORIGIN OF HANUKKAH

Silver lamp
Bezalel workshops, Hanukkah lamp portraying the cleansing of the Temple, Palestine, around 1906-1929
© Zeev Holtzmann Collection

The Hanukkah holiday is linked closely with a historical event: It commemorates the revolt against the Hellenistic Syrians' prohibiting the practice of Jewish religion in the second century B.C. The victory of the Maccabees and the reconsecration of Jewish holy places are the joyous origin of the Jewish festival of light.

alternative Navigation To the first room of the exhibition: getting in the mood for the celebrations Coin with portrait of Antiochus IV, 175 B.C. – 164 B.C., Copyright: Münzkabinett Bodemuseum Berlin To the third room of the exhibition: of the birth of a god and baby cribs: the beginnings of Christmas To the fourth room of the exhibition: how the main holiday rituals originated and what they mean Light the Hanukkah candles in the right order To the fifth room of the exhibition: Hanukkah and the struggle against oppression To the sixth room of the exhibition: Christmas celebrations throughout the ages To the seventh room of the exhibition: Chrismukkah - or: how holidays unite